Inline diluter valve



Aug. 2, 1960 A. BLOOM INLINE DILUTER VALVE l Filed July 1s, 1959 Hmm/v 51m/14 INVENTOR.

WM5/KM -niteti States Patent v INLINE DILU'IER VALVE Aaron Bloom, Pasadena,` Calif., as'sgnoirito lSierra Engineering Co., Sierra Madre, Calif., a corporation of California Filed July 13, 1959, Ser. No. 826,813

Claims. (Cl. 137-64) Vixed will be fed a proportionate amount of pure oxygen and air, depending upon the need of the subjects making use of the apparatus.

Under certain conditions as, for example, tho-se experienced in high altitude flying, there is invariably need to supply the subject, be he pilot or other airman, with a sufficient amount of oxygen for his bodily needs under those special circumstances. Due to the fact, however, that the altitude changes appreciably between take-off and ceiling height, there is -a considerable variation in the need for pure oxygen on the part of the subject using the breathing system. For example, at take-olf and low altitudes there is angarnple amount of oxygen present in the ambient air so that little or no pure oxygen need be taken from the oxygen supply. As the altitude increases, more oxygen is needed and hence it is desirable to make use of a lesser amount of the ambient air which at the same time carries a lesser amount of oxygen to the system.

Certain devices have been employed heretofore in equipment directed to the mixing of oxygen with ambient -air. These systems, however, have been constructed so that the supplies of oxygen and ambient air are in parallel relationship controlled in some instances by differential pressures created =by sundry means such, for example, as a Venturi orifice. The performance of such prior art devices has not been dependable and has been insufiiciently strong to meet all circumstances and especially a variety of conditions which change rapidly as well as extreme conditions at ceiling heights.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved miin'ng or diluting valve which is capable of automatically proportioning quantities of ambient air and pure oxygen under various conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mixer or diluter valve which is automatic in its operation and particularly effective at all altitude variations and moreover quickly responsive to rapid changes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved diluter valve automatically operative to achieve virtually any setting between a supply of pure oxygen to the exclusion of all ambient air and very heavy dilutions of ambient air with pure oxygen almost to the exclusion of pure oxygen.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved diluter valve which is compact in its arrangement and wherein sundry moving parts and particularly valve elements are combined in a fashion such -that the entire4 apparatus can be encompassed in a par- ,ticularly small package.

Another object still is to provide a newI and improved diluter valve wherein the control of the mixture of ambient air with oxygen is carried on eifectively over wide ranges without in any way adversely affecting the normal exhaust cycle.

Also included among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved diluter valve which is positive in its action, easy to calibrate, and easy to service in that the movable valve element-s can be removed and replaced in the device without the necessity of disturbing the position or setting of the automatic members.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View partially in section taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 4 showing the adjustment of the valve as it would be when subject to high altitude and at the inflow phase of the breathing cycle.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 1 showing the valve in the adjustment which would be experienced at relatively low altitudes during the inow phase of the breathing cycle.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 showing the position of the valve parts during ythe exhalation phase of the breathing cycle.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure l. i

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration there is shown a valve body indicated generally by the reference character 10 which consists in particular of three sections, namely, an upstream section 11, an intermediate section 12, and a downstream section 13. The upstream section provides a chamber 14 which is annular in form, the upstream section being secured to the intermediate section by means of screws 15. The downstream section 13 provides a chamber 16 and the downstream section is fastened to the intermediate section by means of screws 17. The intermediate section provides a chamber 18 intercommunicating with the chamber 16. The same intermediate section also provides an annular exhaust chamber 19 which surrounds the chamber 18. Exhaust ports 20 communicate between the exhaust chamber 19 and the exterior or with the ambient air. Ambient air inlet ports 21 communicate between the ambient air and the chamber 14.

In the interest of better understanding the description here following there is suggested an oxygen supply line 22 which communicates with an oxygen supply passage 23. A breather line 24 is shown attached to the downstream section 13 in a position to accepta mixture of air and oxygen passing from the intercommunicating chambers 18 and 16 through a breather port 25.

Attention is directed particularly to an annular inner valve seat 30 which is at a location separating the supply passage 23 from the chamber 14 and hence from the ambient air inlet ports 21. A second annular outer valve seat 31 is, positioned within the intermediate section and separates the chamber 18 from the exhaust chamber 19.

Operably mounted upon both of said valve seats 30 and 31 is a composite valve member indicated generally by the reference character 32. This valve member has an )outer annular flexible section 33 which is sealed between the upstream body section 11 and the intermediate body section 12 by the drawing together of these sections through Ithe agency of screws 15.

An outer annular valve element 34 has its outer perimeter 35 secured in sealed relationship with an inner perimseat separating said exhaust port from said breather chamber, a flexible composite valve member mounted in the valve body having a first valve element seating in one direction upon said iirst valve seat and a second valve element seating in an opposite direction against said second valve seat, a passage through said composite valve and an outtiow check valve therefor, a pressure sensitive element in said body suoject to ambient air pressure and connecting means between said pressure sensitive element and said rst valve element, said pressure sensitive element when subjected to higher ambient air pressure having movement eiiective of a restriction of the opening of said first valve element without aiiecting said second valve element and when subjected to lower ambient air pressure eective of an increase of the opening effect of said rst valve element whereby to control the mixture of ambient air and oxygen passing to the breather chamber in response to changes in ambient air pressure.

2. A diluter valve device for mixing and admitting oxygen and ambient air to a breathing system comprising a valve body having an ambient air chamber and a breather chamber, means forming an oxygen supply passage to said breather chamber, an ambient air port to said ambient air chamber, an exhaust port from said breather chamber and a breather port from said breather chamber, a iirst annular valve seat separating said oxygen supply passage from said ambient air chamber and a second annuiar valve sea separating said exhaust port from said breather chamber, a iiexible composite valve member mounted in the valve body having a tirst annular valve element seating in one direction upon said first annular valve seat and a second annular valve element seating in an opposite direction against said second annular valve seat, a passage through said composite valve and an outow check valve therefor, a pressure sensitive element in said body subject to ambient air pressure and connecting means between said pressure sensitive element and said rst valve element, said pressure sensitive element when subjected to higher ambient air pressure having movement eective ot a restriction of the opening of said first valve element without affecting said second valve element and when subjected to lower ambient air pressure effective of an increase in the opening eiiect of said rst valve element whereby to control the mixture of ambient air and oxygen passing to the breather chamber in response to changes in ambient air pressure.

3. A diluter valve device for mixing and admitting oxygen and ambient air to a breathing system comprising `a valve body having an ambient air chamber and a breather chamber, means forming an oxygen supply passage within said ambient air chamber to said breather chamber, an ambient air port to said ambient air chamber, an exhaust port from said breather chamber and a breather port from said breather chamber, a iirst annular valve seat separating said oxygen supply passage from said ambient air chamber and a second annular valve seat separating said exhaust port from said breather chamber, a flexible composite valve member mounted in the valve body having a rst valve element seating in one direction upon said first annular valve seat and a second valve element seating in an opposite direction against said second annular valve seat, a passage through said composite Valve and an outow check Valve therein, an aneroid element in said body subject to ambient air pressure and a spring between said aneroid and said first valve element, said aneroid when subjected to higher ambient air pressure having a progressively expanding condition effective of an increase in spring tension and restriction of the opening of said tirst valve element without affecting said second valve element and effective of a decrease in spring tension when subjected to lower ambient air pressure to increase the opening edect of said rst Valve element whereby to control the mixture of ambient air and oxygen passing to the breather chamber in response to changes in ambient air pressure.

4. A diluter valve device for mixing and admitting xygen and ambient air 'to a breathing system comprising a valve body having a downstream section and an upstream section, a chamber in said downstream section, means forming a chamber in said upstream section, and an oxygen supply passano in said upstream section, an ambient air supply port to the chamber in said upstream section, an exhaust port from the chamber in said downstream section and a breather port from said downstream section, a composite valve member between said upstream section and said downstream section comprising an annular inner valve element, an annular outer valve element, an annular flexible connection between said valve elements and an annular iiexibie connection between said outer valve element and said body, an annular valve seat on one side of said valve member for said inner valve element separating said supply passage from said ambient air suppiy port, an annular exhaust valve seat in the downstream section on the opposite side of said valve member operably engageable with said outer valve seat and separating said exhaust port from the chamber in said downstream section, a passage through said valve member having an outflow check valve therein, and pressure sensitive means in said body responsive to ambient air pressure in operable engagement with said valve member movable when subjected to lower pressure in a direction restricting opening of said inner valve element and when subjected to higher pressure in a direction amplifying opening ot said inner valve element whereby to vary the mixture of oxygen with ambient air.

5. A diiuter valve device for-mixing and admitting oxygen and ambient air to a breathing system comprising a valve body having a downstream section, an intermediate section and an upstream section, means forming interconnected chambers respectiveiy in said downstream and intermediate sections, and means forminga chamber in said upstream section, an oxygen supply passage in said upstream section, an ambient air supply port to the chamber in said upstream section, an exhaust port from the chamber in said intermediate section and a breather port from said downstream section, a composite valve member between said upstream section and said intermediate section comprising an annular inner valve element, an annular outer valve element, an annular iiexible connection between said `valve elements and an annular flexible connection between said outer valve element and said body, an annular valve seat on one side of said valve member for said inner valve element separating said sup ply passage from said ambient air supply port, an annularexhaust valve seat in the intermediate section on the opiposite side of said valve member operably engageable with said outer valve seat and separating said exhaust port from the interconnected chambers, a passage through said valve member having an outflow check valve therein, and pressure sensitive means in said body responsive to ambient air pressure in operable engagement with said inner valve element movable when subjected to lower pressure in a direction restricting opening of said inner valve element and when subjected to higher pressure in a direction amplifying opening of said inner valve element whereby to vary the mixture of oxygen with ambient air.

No references cited. 

